Poor will get student fee help, says Blair

Tony Blair defended university top-up fees yesterday and promised financial help for the poorest students.

He confirmed that the Department for Education was looking at ways to exempt students from poor homes from the full burden of fees of up to £3,000 a year, but said it was "too early" to specify the proportion that would benefit.

"We are looking at how we can provide help to the poorest students. We are not giving a firm commitment on that until we have worked it through, but we are looking at it and it is perfectly consistent with what we have said before," he told journalists at his monthly press conference in Downing Street.

Earlier this week Charles Clarke, the Education Secretary, disclosed that he was aiming for a situation where between 30 and 37 per cent of students would receive bursaries to cover the whole of the fees, paid out of money received from those with better-off parents.

Mr Blair faced questions on the policy as the National Union of Students published a survey claiming that 85 per cent of 14- and 15-year-olds in poor areas would not go to university if it meant leaving with debts of £20,000.

Three quarters of those questioned by academics from Brighton University said debts of £10,000 would put them off higher education.

But the survey also showed that pupils are confused over the way higher education is funded and the contribution demanded from students towards their tuition fees and living costs.

Nearly half believed the Government paid grants when in fact students borrow money to help with their living costs and pay it back through the tax system.